text:
‘Kai Jai Ded’ is KFC Thailand’s limited edition menu designed to set every diner’s taste buds on fire, leaving them sweating and shedding tears but also craving for more. The menu has been on hiatus for two years and is now making a fiery comeback due to fervent fan demands.
The deliciously hot menu has received love from fans, with some dialling the hotline for a little dollop of relief after their burning bite. To mark the 40th anniversary of its first store opening, KFC Thailand has decided to launch the world’s first-ever Spicy Relief Hotline to aid Thai lovers of intense spice who’ll be trying its ultra-hot limited edition ‘Kai Jai Ded’ menu. KFC Thailand’s Spicy Relief Hotline (+66 2793 3111) was created with VML Thailand and works by providing help to Thai spice lovers who need what the brand is calling some ‘actual help’ to quench the fire and face the ferocious agony of some of the hottest heat they’re likely to have experienced in a KFC product.
The Spicy Relief Hotline offers up two approaches to calming the burn, giving frustrated callers space to voice their fiery tremor without shame. If they’re looking to vent it out, they can press ‘0,’ and they’ll be directed to trained professionals who are standing by to give just a little bit of support, advice, and an ear should you want to ramble on about the unfairness of eating a hot pepper. But for those who want a more immersive experience, they can press ‘1’ and chill the heck out, thanks to an automated system that will provide random sounds intended to soothe the senses and provide that spicy relief. This includes calming classical music, soothing nature ASMR, and meditative sounds.
KFC Thailand recently launched ‘Kai Jai Ded,’ a limited edition menu that is so spicy it will set your taste buds on fire, make you sweat, and have you crying, but unable to stop taking bite after bite. The tongue-tingling menu had been on hiatus for two years, and now it’s back by popular demand. The steamy hot menu has received so much love from fans that had started asking for a little dollop of relief from the heat, with some even giving KFC Thailand a call on their hotline.
Suhayl Limbada, chief marketing officer at KFC Thailand, said, “With 40 years in business, KFC Thailand is determined to captivate spicy enthusiasts across the nation with ‘Kai Jai Ded,’ creating a shared experience of unstoppable, addictive heat through our unique and distinctive taste.”


text:
The World Out of Home Organization are using London Digital Signage Week (May 17-21) as the first stop on their World Out of Home Organization’s 2021/22 World Tour and will be hosting their one-day virtual European Forum on May 18, 2021.
You’ll hear from Mark Read, CEO of the world’s biggest advertising company WPP; James Murphy, co-founder of the world ’s hottest creative agency New Commercial Arts and Diageo global media director, marketing, Isabel Massey and many other industry visionaries.
WOO President Tom Goddard said “We are delighted that Mark will speak at the WOO European Summit. As head of WPP he is at the heart of the global advertising and media business and also brings unmatched digital experience. It will be fascinating to hear his views on where Out of Home sits in an increasingly digital landscape. The European Summit is on course to have the strongest, most diverse line-up of speakers of any of our events”.
The WOO event is free to members. Non-members are able to register for a small fee of €150 Euros.
The APAC Regional Event is scheduled for late September with the Africa Regional Event in January 2022. Then there will be the twice-postponed World Congress in Toronto in May 2022. These will be live events, pandemic and travel arrangements permitting.

domain: news


text:
Kungsleden stable in times of turbulence
Due to the turbulence now prevalent in the business sector and financial markets in connection with the spread of COVID-19, Kungsleden wants to clarify the following. Kungsleden is standing stable financially and in terms of our customer base.
Kungsleden’s equity/assets ratio amounted to 44 per cent at year-end and the loan-to-value ratio was 45.8 per cent. We have no bond or bank loan maturities in 2020. At the same time, we have cash and facilities available to be able to manage all remaining maturities in the capital market in 2021.
“Kungsleden has built up a strong balance sheet and a healthy mix of properties in our four prioritised markets of Stockholm, Västerås, Gothenburg and Malmö during the past five years. We have a well-diversified customer mix of high quality. We are stable even in these times of turbulence,” says Biljana Pehrsson, CEO of Kungsleden.
Kungsleden’s tenants comprise 75 per cent offices and 15 per cent logistics, warehouses and industry. Less than 5 per cent of the rental value comprises retail and approximately 4 per cent hotels. Approximately a quarter of the share of retail comprises grocery stores.
The spread of coronavirus is currently affecting most aspects of society. Kungsleden will not be immune to any future payment difficulties among its customers. The requests for rent relief that Kungsleden has received to date are being addressed individually and at present, the impact on the total rent flow is deemed to be limited.
“We are monitoring developments closely and working systematically in both property management and our projects to support our customers in their current situation. Above all, we are taking care of our customers, employees and investors by adopting a responsible approach,” says Biljana Pehrsson.
For more information, please contact:
Biljana Pehrsson, CEO of Kungsleden | +46 8 503 052 04| firstname.lastname@example.org
Anna Trane, Head of Corporate Communications Kungsleden | +46 (0)708-84 74 69 | email@example.com
About Kungsleden. We are people that create places and experiences for people. By developing and managing attractive and sustainable places, we offer people a better and more inspiring work experience. We are a long-term property owner focused on commercial properties in Sweden’s growth regions. As of 31 December 2019, we owned 209 properties with total value of SEK 38,310 m. Kungsleden (KLED) is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm Large Cap. Read more at www.kungsleden.se


text:
- “Our Son” Limited Theatrical Release, “Runs in the Family” Comes to Netflix, “Great Photo, Lovely Life” Streams on Max, and More!
- Revolution in Bloom: Trans Activist and Author Raquel Willis Returns To Atlanta in Support of New Memoir
- Election 2024: Candidates, Moderator Choose Transphobia Over Real Issues in 4th GOP Debate
- Sundance Film Festival 2024: ‘Will & Harper’, ‘FRIDA’, ‘Layla’, ‘Love Lies Bleeding’, ‘Power’ Among LGBTQ Titles
- Unleashing the Fierce and Fabulous: Meet the Cast of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 16
- Community Members and Organizations Take to Social Media to Amplify World AIDS Day, Raising Awareness to Combat HIV Stigma and End the Epidemic
- Trace Lysette Nominated for “Monica” at the 2024 Indie Spirit Film and TV Awards Among Several Other LGBTQ Stories
- Key Takeaways from the 2023 LGBTQ+ International Leaders Conference and Why Affordable Housing is Taking Center Stage as the Main Issue for LGBTQ Candidates and Electeds
CORPORATIONS STAND UP WITH GLAAD IN SUPPORT OF LGBTQ EQUALITY
- Last updated: July 21, 2023
“We Reject the Harassment and Bullying of the LGBTQ Community”
New GLAAD/Ipsos Poll Reveals Americans Nearly Twice as Likely to Support a Company that is Criticized for Supporting the LGBTQ Community
June 22, 2023 – GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today announced that over 50 companies have signed a statement of support for LGBTQ people. Companies that signed the statement include Accenture, Boston Beer Company, Cisco, Dow, Edelman, Eli Lilly and Company, Enact Holdings, Inc., Equinox Group, Eventbrite, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., HP Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel Corporation, JELD-WEN Holding, Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Logitech, Match Group, McKesson Corporation, Mondelēz International, Inc., Moody’s, Pfizer Inc., Salesforce, SAP, ServiceNow, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Sony Music, SoundCloud, Synchrony, Teneo and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.
GLAAD statement of support:
“As we celebrate Pride this month, we reject the harassment and bullying of the LGBTQ communities and support the businesses that are trying to serve all in a safe and inclusive manner. Pride at its core is about dignity and equality, and we, the undersigned companies, join together to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the LGBTQ community.”
GLAAD developed the statement following an increase in threats of violence against several companies across the country that have participated in Pride over many years. A full list of companies that signed and agreed to the statement is available below and here. Companies that have not yet signed and would like to are still able to participate by contacting GLAAD directly.
Findings from a new GLAAD and Ipsos poll show a majority of Americans are not opposed to corporate support of Pride:
- Americans are nearly twice as likely to say they would want to back companies facing criticism for supporting people in the LGBTQ community, rather than their critics.
- 74% of Americans are neutral or positively impacted by knowing a company offers Pride merchandise.
- 2 out of 3 Americans are neutral to positive about Pride merchandise in a store seeing it as no different than offering products with a sports team logo or other specialized designs.
- 59% of Americans believe companies offering Pride merchandise are showing support and acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
Statement from GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis: “For decades, hundreds of major brands have and continue to support the LGBTQ community. Some recently experienced criticisms from anti-LGBTQ activists, but they refused to stand down. Those companies are not experiencing negative reputational or monetary impacts to their business. I am encouraged by the corporations who pledge to stand with us, not just during Pride, but all year long. Their commitment to equality should be emulated and celebrated by all companies because it’s the right thing to do – and it’s good for business. Our new research confirms what we already knew about our country’s values: The vast majority of Americans support LGBTQ equality and support brands that choose to include and engage with LGBTQ Americans and our allies. And as corporations seek future success, they must look to the younger generation of consumers and employees who are the most LGBTQ inclusive generation ever, and want to buy from and work for companies that support them.”
Previously released GLAAD research indicates broad public support for the LGBTQ community:
- Most Americans believe that business leaders should lead the charge
- 53% expect CEOs to inform and shape conversations and policy debates about LGBTQ rights.
- 59% of Americans say that if a business devoted significant resources to protecting the rights of the LGBTQ community it could have a positive impact.
- Across demographics, Americans seek out employers who take a stand in support of LGBTQ rights:
- If a brand publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights, Americans are 2x more likely to buy or use the brand and those aged 18-34 are 5.5x more likely to want to work at a company if it publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights.
- 70% of non-LGBTQ Americans agree that companies should publicly support and include the LGBTQ community through practices like hiring, advertising and sponsorships.
- Additionally, a 2020 GLAAD and P&G poll of U.S. consumers found:
- 85% of respondents believe seeing LGBTQ people in ads reflects the company’s commitment to offering products to all types of customers.
- 82% of respondents believe that it reflects the company’s value for all kinds of diversity.
- 80% of respondents believe that it reflects that the company is making a statement about the importance of recognizing LGBTQ people.
Full list of companies that signed GLAAD’s statement:
Publicly traded companies:
Boston Beer Company
Eli Lilly and Company
Enact Holdings, Inc.
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.
The Lagunitas Brewing Company
Levi Strauss & Co.
Mondelēz International, Inc.
6 Degrees Diversity Counsel Private Limited
Allegis Group, Inc.
ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM)
Association of National Advertisers
Arbour Counseling Services
Be Kind to All
California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CCSWG)
Equity At Work
Exile Content Studio
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Global Gateway Advisors
Lara Leadership Collective
North Idaho Pride Alliance
Organizing Unique Transformations (OUT) Agency
Recording Academy (GRAMMYs)
Santiago Solutions Group
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
The Krim Group
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Ipsos Knowledge Panel Methodology
This Ipsos poll was conducted June 2-4, 2023 on behalf of GLAAD, using the KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a representative sample of 1,022 U.S. residents, age 18 or older.
The study was conducted in English. The data were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, Census region, metropolitan status, household income and race/ethnicity. The data for the total sample were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, Census region, metropolitan status, and household income. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2022 March Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS). Party ID benchmarks are from recent ABC News/Washington Post telephone polls. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults.
About GLAAD: GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.
“People living with HIV should not be treated as violent sex offenders for the rest…


text:
Globalstar Inc. Q3 Loss increases, misses estimates
(RTTNews) - Globalstar Inc. (GSAT) released Loss for its third quarter that increased from last year and missed the Street estimates.
The company's earnings totaled -$204.36 million, or -$0.11 per share. This compares with -$30.89 million, or -$0.02 per share, in last year's third quarter.
Analysts on average had expected the company to earn -$0.01 per share, according to figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.
The company's revenue for the quarter rose 15.4% to $37.63 million from $32.61 million last year.
Globalstar Inc. earnings at a glance (GAAP) :
-Earnings (Q3): -$204.36 Mln. vs. -$30.89 Mln. last year. -EPS (Q3): -$0.11 vs. -$0.02 last year. -Analyst Estimate: -$0.01 -Revenue (Q3): $37.63 Mln vs. $32.61 Mln last year.


text:
VOLVO GROUP VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTS IN MOBILITY START-UP COMPANIES
July 03, 2019
Volvo Group Venture Capital have invested in Next Gear Ventures – a leading Israeli venture capital fund sourcing start-ups for interaction with leading global transport industry acompanies.
TriEye SECURES $17 MILLION IN SERIES A FINANCING
May 28 ,2019
Israeli startup TriEye, whose Short-Wave-InfraRed (SWIR) sensing technology is able to see in adverse weather and night-time conditions has announced a $17 million Series A funding round
Jan 16, 2019
FORETELLIX CLOSES $14M OF SERIES- A FUNDING.
LED BY NEXTGEAR
VENTURES AND CO
"We invested early in Foretellix and have decided to double down on our investment based on the company progress and the rapidly growing market interest," said Dr. Tal Cohen founding partner at Drive and Next Gear Ventures


text:
Results for search "Noroviruses".
Splash pads -- those shallow pools of wet, cooling summertime fun for kids -- can also be sources of nasty gastro infections for youngsters who swallow water during their play.
That's the take-home lesson from a new analysis of outbreaks of two bacterial illnesses, shigellosis and
The United States and Canada are investigating a multistate outbreak of norovirus illnesses linked to raw oysters from Canada.
Restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell these potentially contaminated raw oysters, which were harvested in the south and central parts of Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
If you're in a public restroom, you may not want to hang around too long, because lots of airborne pathogens are hanging around, too.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science conducted flush tests in a public restroom with both a toilet and a urinal.
"After about three hours of tests involving more than 100 flushes, we found a substa...
Whether it's infiltrating a cruise ship, a restaurant or a college dorm, the norovirus is often in the news. It's the leading cause of illness from contaminated food in the United States.
While food can be tainted at its source, food workers who acquire the infection can unintentionally cause outbreaks as well, often by touching food with bare hands before serving it.


text:
Live Nation Entertainment has hired Chris Loll as the first Chief Operating Officer of its Media & Sponsorship unit.
Based in New York, Loll will report to Russell Wallach, Global President of the division.
Loll brings a breadth of experience in growing marketing service companies, having recently served as Chief Operating Officer of IPG Mediabrands.
In his newly-created position at LN, Loll will lead all business operations while executing a multi-year strategy said to ‘introduce new data, digital and live products for agencies and advertisers, while refining process, systems and sales solutions to accelerate the division’s overall growth and vision’.
“Chris has a proven track record reinvigorating corporate productivity and taking media and advertising businesses to new heights,” said Russell Wallach, Global President Media & Sponsorship, Live Nation.
“We welcome his unrivaled talents to our division at time when we are experiencing record growth and I look forward to working closely with Chris to ensure we maintain that momentum and expand our global footprint.”
Live Nation recently reported Q2 earnings which revealed that revenue was up 29% for the quarter to $2.8 billion.
“Chris has a proven track record reinvigorating corporate productivity and taking media and advertising businesses to new heights.”
Russell Wallach, Live Nation
Its media and sponsorship division saw revenue up 31%, while 90% of their planned sponsorship for the year is already under contract.
“Live Nation is a marketers playground, with access to passionate fans, unmatched live and digital experiences and highly desirable content,” said Loll.
“Who wouldn’t be excited to join a growing company, with impressive talent, unique assets and a business model with untapped potential.”
At IPG Mediabrands, Loll managed and grew the company’s largest region and multiple specialty data and digital units.
Prior to IPG, he spent over a decade at WPP, namely with Y&R, VML and Wunderman rising through the network ranks to lead offices in London and New York, where he offered some of the world’s largest brands expertise in advertising, direct and digital marketing.
Loll received his Bachelor’s degree from the United States Air Force Academy and his Master’s degree from UCLA Anderson School of Management.Music Business Worldwide


text:
Business News›P E multiples
P E MULTIPLES
Why India's e-commerce sector doesn't need a one-size-fits-all regulatory intervention
The not-so-rosy flip side comprises the growing discontent among business users of ecommerce platforms and the regulatory muddle that defines Indian ecommerce today. The best-case scenario is one where innovation thrives as multiple platforms compete for not only buyers but also for sellers of goods and services.
C E Info Systems offer more suited for long-term investors
The company has a strong presence in the fast growing geospatial and mapping solutions with a clientele across government and private sectors. It runs a profitable business with double digit operating and net margins.
NITI Aayog launches 'e-Sawari India E-Bus Coalition' in tie-up with CESL
The coalition has been launched with the aim to share knowledge and learnings on e-bus adoption in India among various stakeholders, including central and state governments, city-level government agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), financing institutions and ancillary service providers.
From F&B to cosmetics, try-before-you-buy is bringing a new charm to sampling
A sampling platform is out to revolutionise the marketing system in India by bridging the trust deficit between consumers and producers. It is proving to be a win-win for the manufacturer and the buyer.
How to pick stocks in current pricey stock market: A wealth manager advises
Markets are not as pricey as they appear, but the risks have grown. Investors may be adept at spotting companies with a promising future in terms of development and return on investment, but this alone may not guarantee the greatest results in the future.
Digital version of Postal Life Insurance policy launched by Department of PostsWhile inaugurating the ePLI bond Secretary Posts Vineet Pandey said ePLI bond is the department's first digital integration with Digilocker, which will facilitate citizens in a meaningful way by providing ease of access and quick claim settlements.
When to buy a stock? Timing irrelevant for compounders, says Saurabh MukherjeaFor investors looking to compound their wealth over the long term, Mukherjea says the low-risk route is to depend on consistent compounders, where earnings and cash flows grow at a steady and consistent pace. Such companies come with clean accounts, prudent capital allocation and strong competitive advantages.
Buy Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Healthcare, target price Rs 15,530: Motilal OswalProcter & Gamble Hygiene & Healthcare Ltd., incorporated in the year 1964, is a Large Cap company (having a market cap of Rs 41829.72 Crore) operating in FMCG sector.
How can roll-up e-commerce companies help create the next wave of growth in e-commerce?E-commerce roll-up companies acquire, consolidate and operate multiple e-commerce brands simultaneously.
Students can now get 40% of university credits from e-coursesCome the 2021-22 academic session, students of 149 universities would be allowed to earn upto 40% of their required credits from among the over 800 online courses available on the Swayam platform. The academic bank of credit (ABC) would also become functional from the forthcoming academic session, which will be a repository of the credits earned by a student. Once the student fulfils the total credits required, he or she will be granted the degree.
Godrej Consumer leveraging on data and tech, strengthening its e-commerce businessesThe company is leveraging on data and technology, innovating for local contexts and doubling down on digitisation and platforms like e-commerce to catch the rapid shifts in consumer behaviour brought about by the pandemic.
Pharma a good long-term play if you pick right stocks: Pankaj Tibrewal“On a 3-5-year basis, we believe there are decent opportunities in the Indian pharma space, but one has to be stock specific.”
WhatsApp ban plea dismissedFrom WhatsApp ban petition being dismissed to India's draft e-commerce rules and UK's crackdown against Binance, here's a quick look at the top tech news today.
F2P Racket: One module supplied Chinese equipment, cellphones“As many as 50 fake accounts are under investigation to ascertain the end users of these equipment and made-in-China mobile phones,” said a senior home ministry official.
P/E ratio, my foot! Celebrity money managers figure out a way around itFinancial Twitter found itself in a heated debate over the weekend on another issue that has divided the experts of the investing world for some time.
Public procurement of goods, services touches Rs 6,894 crore on GeM in April: CEO P K SinghGovernment e-Market portal was launched on August 9, 2016, for online purchases of goods and services by all the central government ministries and departments.
Shipping containers plunge overboard as supply race raises risksWith boxes stacked ever higher, a ship can become more unstable in a storm -- wave after wave can cause the vessel to roll at steep angles, putting strain on the securing of containers. The situation becomes even worse if the stack is top-heavy.
Breaking mutual fund puzzle: Largecap funds or others? Active or passive funds?Patience is the key to reaping the benefits of the market, so one has to remain invested over longer periods, writes Alok Agarwal.
Stock bulls bet it all on earnings guesses with troubled recordIndeed, investors are pouring a record amount of fresh money into equities this year amid hopes that vaccines and policy support will bring the economy to normalcy.
Draft e-commerce policy moots conformity assessment procedures for online platforms"Conformity assessment procedures will be put in place in order to verify that goods and services sold, on e-commerce platforms, meet required standards and technical regulations, as prescribed by sector specific regulations/rules," the draft said. These procedures are related to testing, verification and certification of goods and services, among others.
Heranba Industries IPO share allotment status: Here's how to check itThe Rs 625 crore issue was subscribed 83.29 times, with the quota for qualified institutional investors seeing bids for 67.45 times the quota limit and the retail quota 11.84 times the limit. The HNI quota saw 271.15 times subscription.
Udaan forged tie-ups with more than 2,500 brands in midst of CovidUdaan connects manufacturers and brands with small retailers across three categories - food (staples and fresh vegetables), non-food (electronics and fashion), and pharmaceuticals.
Fear not! Multiple charts show Indian equities in comfort zoneThe price-to-earnings ratio of Nifty stood at 33.18 times on Friday against its 10-year average of 22.25.
P/E not best tool to value a stock. Which ratio to apply to which sector?The problem is, the P/E ratio overlooks assets and liabilities, which usually have a material impact on valuation. That means the price-to-earnings ratio is useful, but only to a point.
Indian equity markets most expensive after US and JapanA major reason for the upbeat valuation is that analysts are now taking into account the FY22 estimated earnings, which may grow in double digits.
It’s the art, stupid! François Rochon’s tips to pick masterpieces in investingIf the stock selection process is rational, investment returns will eventually follow.
India most costly among big global peers after sharp rallyNifty 50 now trades at a trailing price-earnings (P/E) multiple of 22.6 per centLoad More
BACK TO TOP


text:
How Video Streaming Services Can Reactivate Lapsed Users With Deep Learning
With an annual growth rate of 20.4 percent from 2020 to 2027, the global video streaming market will be worth US$184.3 billion by 2027. Netflix is still the leader in this sector with 167 million paying streaming subscribers worldwide, but its market share has fallen significantly from 91 percent in 2007 to just 19 percent last year due to increasing competitions from the likes of Hulu, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus.
Regional streaming services are also seeing a further leap in viewers and subscribers. China’s streaming service iQiyi passed 100 million subscribers in 2019, while TikTok – a Chinese video sharing and live streaming platform – has become a global phenomenon with over 1.5 billion total downloads as of last year. Its audiences open the app eight times a day on average.
There is no doubt that the sector will continue to grow. Apart from increasing high-speed internet access across the developing world along with social media usage, advanced technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) are the key drivers behind this growth.
However, with more than 400 subscription-based video-on-demand services battling for the attention of a global audience of 1.1 billion, publishers and video streaming services need all the help they can get to retain their precious viewers.
Why Are People Leaving Your Platform?
User churn and retention has always been a major hurdle for video streaming services. A recent study shows that 67 percent of app users become inactive in the first two weeks.
At a basic level, viewers don’t return because something about their experience wasn’t good enough. This could either be technical or content related. Other reasons could also be rising prices, changes to their packages, or a must-see series or sports season that has ended.
Bringing back those inactive users is critical to your business success. A 5 percent increase in customer retention can lift profits by 25-95 percent, according to Bain & Company. However, that doesn’t mean you should spend money and time trying to win back every lapsed user. Just reach out to those valuable ones, something that AI is well placed to assist with.
How Deep Learning Can Help
The most valuable inactive users are those who are most likely to be brought back. So, how can you find them? Traditional behavioral targeting is difficult as it requires human intuition to draw extensive insight from data points that are easy to misinterpret. However, deep learning, an advanced AI technique, can conduct multi-dimensional analysis of historical user data on behavior, frequency, time, devices they used, what they watched, etc. to identify and segment inactive viewers. It can then predict conversion rates (in this case, the likelihood to be reactivated) of over one million segments to find out the most valuable ones.
To ensure your targeting with the highest precision, you also need to know inactive users’ current interests. By combining historical data and third-party data, AI can discover users’ external interests outside your platform. For instance, Emma used to watch a drama series on your platform, but she has been inactive ever since the show ended. By analyzing her browsing behavior on external websites, you find out her recent interest in comedy as she has been reading reviews about comedy series and stand-ups. With this information, you can then personalize your campaign with the most relevant recommendations and creative to win her back.
A leading video-sharing and live streaming platform used Appier’s AI solution to win back users who had been inactive for over seven days in Taiwan. It managed to reduce cost-per-click by 22 percent and cost-per-acquisition by 7 percent compared to the platform’s own KPIs. By using dynamic creatives, it also saw the conversion rate of its native ad jumped 30 percent. Overall, 10,000 lapsed viewers returned to the platform and each watched three videos on average within one week.
By serving your inactive viewers in ways that properly align with their behavior and interests, you are far more likely to see them return, stay engaged, and become loyal customers.
* Struggling to maintain a low churn rate for your OTT video subscriber services or video streaming platforms? Not sure how you can bring those lapsed viewers back? We are here to help! Our AI-driven solution powered by deep learning enables you to identify who are most likely to come back and what kind of content will win their hearts. Get in touch with us today for an exclusive discussion.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Artificial intelligence (AI) is heralding a revolution in how we interact with technology. Its capabilities have changed how we work, travel, play and live. But this is just the beginning. The next step is explainable AI (XAI), a form of AI whose actions are more easily understood by humans. So how does it work? Why do we need it? How will it forever change the way industries – especially in marketing – function? The Mystery of the Black Box: The Problem With Current AI No one would deny that artificial intelligence produces amazing results. Computers that can not only process vast amounts of data in seconds, but also learn, decide and act on their own have turned many industries on their heads – according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, the market worth of AI is around US$15 trillion. However, in its current form, AI does have one major weakness: explanation. Namely, it can’t explain its decisions and actions to humans. This is sometimes referred to as the “black box” in machine learning – for example, the calculations and decisions are carried out behind the scenes with no rationale given as to why the AI arrived at that decision. Why is this a problem?
Rich Wilson started his career writing software for jet engines. Since 2005, he has been focusing on the commercialisation of software startups. He has a history of successfully bringing US tech firms into Europe and has since founded a number of businesses including Volcube, a financial services tech firm, a small hedge fund which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to place trades, and most recently Deviance, an audience diagnostics firm applying AI to language analysis in order to help firms understand how their audience feels. Rich is based in London and is a noted speaker on the application of linguistics in politics, gender, TV and music, as well as tech startups more generally. We recently spoke to Rich to discuss the current adoption of AI and data, the impact of technology on some of the key industries, and how to strike a balance between data privacy and customization. You have founded and helped build a number of AI and data businesses, including in the marketing space. Tell us a bit about your experience and what you’re working on now. I have a background in software development, and during the dotcom boom I built some of the first online stores for
To solve the problem of disconnected data in a world where we are dealing with millions of touchpoints and interactions, 51 percent of marketers say they currently use a customer data platform (CDP) and 35 percent say they plan to use one. So, what exactly is a CDP, what benefits does it offer, and how does it compare to other customer data systems? What Is a Customer Data Platform? A customer data platform is a type of software that collects and organizes data from a wide range of touchpoints in real time to create individual, unified customer profiles. CDPs can also communicate with other delivery and engagement systems such as marketing automation software, websites, and social media management tools. This means it is possible to plan and execute campaigns directly from them. Some customer data platforms also have additional functions built in, such as business intelligence, analytics, reporting, and tracking. Their ultimate purpose is to help businesses and marketers make better customer-focused decisions. What Type of Customer Data Does a CDP Work With? A customer data platform can collect and work with multiple types of first-, second-, and third-party customer data. This includes data from your CRM activities, web forms,


text:
War in Ukraine
The Russia invasion of the Ukraine on February 24th shook up the market outlook. The equities sold off quickly before staging a rally and stabilizing.
Gold filled its role as a safe haven asset – and the price surged above US$1900 for the first time in more than a year. This chart from our February 25 Gold Monitor shows the rise in the gold price due to the geopolitical crisis. Gold exposure in a portfolio continues to be a good diversifier.
Critical metals prices have moved considerably higher over the past year due to tight supplies and strong demand. Copper and nickel have very low inventories on the London Metals Exchange. Rare earths prices are on the rise stoking a rush to stake claims in parts of Canada. Lithium, which is used in the electric vehicle batteries, is in short supply and there appears to be a supply squeeze. The high concentration of the current supply in China has raised concerns in both the U.S. and Canada as the push for electric cars ramps up. Our February Critical Metals report goes into detail about the tight supply, increased prices as well as the uses for critical metals and rare earths (REE).
On February 23rd WTI crude oil briefly surged above $100 USD for the first time since 2014 and has since settled around US$95 a barrel since. Western nations have imposed sanctions on Russia which raises fears of supply disruptions from one of the world’s largest oil producers. The oil market remains jittery and could easily start trading over US$100 on a regular basis. This in turn will exasperate the already multi-decade rise in inflation.
Rising inflation continues to be a major concern for governments and central banks. The steep rise of essentials, such as gas and food prices, are already stretching consumers finances. And the sticker shock isn’t over yet, major retailers like Walmart used to pushback against manufacturers price hikes but lately have been going along with them, which will mean higher prices at the checkout.
House prices in Canada continue to rise with prices climbing double digits in many cities across Canada. The rapid rise of house prices, and subsequently rents across Canada has been alarming for many, especially those trying to buy into the housing market or looking for a place to rent.
Smaller towns and cities are not immune to the double-digit increases. Working from home has made it easier for households to move further away from city centers and into smaller communities and towns pushing prices in these areas higher.
In other news the Pandemic appears to be easing along with mandates. Protests in many cities across Canada have flared up indicating how tired and weary people are of the now two year long lockdowns. The protests have brought out thousands of individuals and blocked major intersections and roads including the Canadian/U.S. border crossing at Ambassador’s bridge in Windsor-Detroit which prevented $700 million dollars in goods from crossing the border each day for more than a week.
We continue our recommendation to stay long oil ETFs and have gold exposure!
Interested in subscription information - simply click below and fill in the form and I'll get back to you.
Digital Marketing Specialist
We do the research so you don't have to!


text:
Empty that Amazon shopping cart and put down that Starbucks. It’s time to go local.
Jamal Jones, Harrisburg’s director of business development, has announced a new program designed to promote shopping local.
The “Choose Harrisburg” campaign encourages people to shop small city businesses for the month of August, Jones explained today on another edition of the city’s Facebook Live program, “Community Conversations.”
“It’s a way to provide businesses with much needed support,” he said.
Any business certified by the city with fewer than 50 employees is eligible to register between July 20 and 31. Participating businesses will be added to a list for the public to see, giving people options for buying local.
“Not only does it give a boost to those local businesses, but, long term, we hope it gives a boost to our local economy,” Jones said.
Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse explained that taxes from businesses in the city help fund city operations. With those revenues being lower than usual due to the COVID-19 crisis, he believes we will feel the effects next year. Millions of dollars will be lacking for city services such as the police and fire bureaus.
“When you’re shopping local, you’re not only helping the business itself, you’re ensuring that the basic services which everybody wants and needs in the city are being able to continue well,” he said.
The city will partner with the Downtown Improvement District and the African American Chamber of Commerce.
“For those of us that get take out once a week or so, let’s resolve for the month of August to only get takeout from businesses that are based here in Harrisburg,” Papenfuse said.
People can show their participation in August by using the hashtag #choosehbg on social media.
Jones said that more information will be provided in the coming weeks.


text:
by Amie Croteau
by Josh Templin
Dr. Jessica Hughes sees communication as the primary way we build inclusive communities.
Editor’s note: This year, Dr. Hughes is celebrating her first full year teaching at RACC. To get to know Hughes better, take a look at this extensive interview that FSJ did last fall.
by Brett Schultz Advertisers want our private data and lawmakers want to let them take it, but we have to resist. With our nation’s Independence Day approaching, many of us are thinking about the lofty […]
by Brett Schultz
Students should care about protecting their school work as much as getting it done.
Many people surf the web, check email, shop online, and even manage their finances from their computers.
However, spending so much time on computers comes with a cost: hackers can exploit our sensitive data with Trojans and malware designed with many different purposes. As the most recent transformation of NSA tools into a global ransomware attack shows, online life can be a dangerous one.
The second of three articles on chess deals with the six pieces and how to maneuver them on the playing board.
The antique game of Chess is based on ancient warfare where swords, axes, and lances were the primary ways of dealing damage to an opponent. Each weapon has its own tactical advantages and disadvantages. As these weapons were used primarily for close combat, battles consisted of two large forces converging together in the middle of a battlefield. Chess incorporates these varied tactics and circumstances of medieval warfare and incorporates them into its game pieces.
By Brett Schultz
The size of online retailers will make the expansion of online retailing inevitable.
Millions of Americans shop online. Technology has become who we are, and the ease of buying online has radically transformed shopping. Clicking “buy” is much easier than taking a trip to the nearest store.


text:
Ever since she first appeared in Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, 12-year-old Millie Bobby Brown has been the conquering the fashion industry piece by piece.
First, the entire cast of Stranger Things kids were spotted with Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière (we’re still holding out on this one). Then Millie appeared on the cover of Interview magazine.
Her major fashion turn came in Raf Simons’ first Calvin Klein campaign where she promoted the brand’s new ‘couture’ line. She also appeared on the front row of his first show at New York Fashion Week.
Today, IMG announced that Millie is their newest signing following in the footsteps of top models including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Ashley Graham and Karlie Kloss.
However, Millie hasn’t transformed into one of the youngest models ever just yet. She will appear on the agency’s talent board alongside co-star Winona Ryder and other actresses such as Liv Tyler and Julianne Moore.
Millie’s red carpet game is also on the rise. Over the past few months, she has worn custom designs by the likes of Emporio Armani, Jenny Packham and Kate Spade.
Oh what it must be like to be so in demand.


text:
Norman Winarsky, Co-Founder of Siri, on is Siri ‘Assistant’ a big deal?
Let me first say I have no knowledge of what Apple plans to do with the Siri purchase. I read the rumors just like everyone else and it appears that Apple is getting ready to reveal what it has done with Siri over the past year and a half (we were actually expecting it at WWDC). Make no mistake: Apple’s ‘mainstreaming’ Artificial Intelligence in the form of a Virtual Personal Assistant is a groundbreaking event.
I’d go so far as to say it is a World-Changing event. Right now a few people dabble in partial AI enabled apps like Google Voice Actions, Vlingo or Nuance Go. Siri was many iterations ahead of these technologies, or at least it was two years ago. This is REAL AI with REAL market use. If the rumors are true, Apple will enable millions upon millions of people to interact with machines with natural language. The PAL will get things done and this is only the tip of the iceberg. We’re talking another technology revolution. A new computing paradigm shift.
You heard him folks. This is world-changing. An evolution in how human beings interact with devices such as the iPhone and iPod touch. This will go far beyond voice recognition systems we know and
love hate today.
Welcome to the future. This is mainstream Artificial Intelligence.
On whether Siri’s thirst for computing power could have delayed the upcoming iPhone(s), he said:
I’m not familiar with Apple’s roadmap and any delays but I can say that AI takes a lot of computing power. The Siri software needs to cache data, needs to access a big dataset at wide bandwidth and needs a big processor to crunch all of the numbers. When we originally released Siri for the iPhone 3GS, we had to perform all kinds of optimizations and shortcuts to get it to work efficiently. All I can say is that it will likely run much better on a faster phone.
Highlighting the importance of Nuance speech-to-text technology to Siri, he says:
[Nuance speech recognition to Siri] is a lot less important than you’d probably think. When we first built Siri, we use Vlingo for speech recognition and as such, at the time of purchase the speech recognition component is modular. Theoretically, if a better speech recognition comes along (or Apple buys one), they could likely replace Nuance without too much trouble. That being said, Nuance has far and away the most IP in speech synthesis technologies in the industry. We should know, SRI launched Nuance as one of our incubated companies in 1995 and it IPO’d in 2000.
[Update] – Vlingo’s President & CEO, Dave Grannan, just chimed in with a blog post entitled “iPhone Assistant,” noting the company will continue to deliver products for iOS despite the imminent introduction of iOS Assistant. Why? – Because Vlingo can ‘do things in places that you simply cannot do with the “native” solution.’
The last few years Apple has continued to surge past its competitors by delivering products that technically beat user expectations. So why would we try to compete? The answer is simple. Vlingo delivers choice that you simply cannot get from these “OS integrated” options. Last year when Google launched Voice Actions we knew it was a great product yet millions of people have chosen Vlingo because of the differentiated services and versatility that go well beyond Google’s solution. Consumers have clearly stated that we’re not in a “one size fits all” market. The same thought process applies here. While it is almost a guarantee that the Apple/Siri product will be good, it’s also known that deep OS integration limits the user’s options. With Vlingo you will continue to get functionality that allows you to do things in places that you simply cannot do with the “native” solution.
[Updating ...][9to5Mac via TUAW]


text:
Form 4 insider trading reports recorded with the SEC today revealed 204 filings. These filings involved 197 insiders and represented 111 companies. Individual transactions totaling over $1 million in market value occurred in 24 of these filings. There were 14 companies with aggregated total market value transactions that exceeded the high value threshold and within these companies were 25 individual insiders with transactions that were greater than $1 million.
Activity within the Russell 3000 index was centered around 93 companies with 162 individuals reporting insider trades. This level of activity was substantially below the average for the past 30 days and much greater than that of previous 5 days. Insiders with high value transactions numbered 20, who traded 6,049,210 shares, having a market value of approximately $61,382,822, involved 12 companies, and came from discretionary sales of 5,921,425 shares.
Among the most significant insider transactions for the day:
Significant Insider Sales Reported in Shares of Barracuda Networks (CUDA) Extending the Trend of Last Quarter
There was a significant level of insider selling revealed today in filings with the SEC for Barracuda Networks. Three insiders — Diane Honda, Officer, Michael D Perone, 10% Owner and Director, and William D Jenkins Jr, Director and Officer — sold 484,647 shares in the company for approximately $11,685,538. In the past 90 days prior to this transaction there was one insider buy/sell transaction which resulted in the sale of 9,714 shares. Adding the most recent activity to this 90-day history indicates insider trades have seen net sales of 494,361 shares and have averaged 123,590 shares per transaction over this time period.
Today’s Insider Activity
* Diane Honda, Officer, sold 975 shares
* Michael D Perone, 10% Owner and Director, sold 403,060 shares
* William D Jenkins Jr, Director and Officer, sold 80,612 shares
Wayfair (NYSE:W) sees Significant Insider Sales Extending the Trend of Last Quarter
SEC filings today disclosed substantial insider sales of Wayfair shares as four insiders — Malone, Macri, Conine, and Shah — sold 102,100 shares in the company having a market value of approximately $7,531,655. There have been 9 insiders with buy/sell transactions in the past 90 days prior to these filings. All of these trades have been sales resulting in the sale of 2,274,848 company shares. Adding the most recent activity to this 90-day history indicates insider trades have seen net sales of 2,376,948 shares and have averaged 182,842 shares per transaction over this time period.
Today’s Insider Activity
* Nicholas Malone, Officer, sold 1,500 shares
* Edmond Macri, Officer, sold 600 shares
* Steven Conine, 10% Owner, Director and Officer, sold 50,000 shares
* Niraj Shah, 10% Owner, Director and Officer, sold 50,000 shares
Another 12 companies had significant insider transactions based on UpTick Data Technologies’ analysis. Using proprietary artificial intelligence methods, UpTick evaluates corporate insider filings reported to the SEC and creates real-time news and analysis to report the most significant insider transactions based on transaction type, size and historical trends. For more information, contact UpTick at email@example.com.
Copyright 2017 UpTick Data Technologies. All rights reserved.


text:
Act-On Software, a cloud-based marketing automation platform, recently announced its results for Q3 2011. During the quarter, Act-On added 164 new customers, an increase from 137 in Q2 2011. The company also increased annual recurring revenues by more than 400% year over year.
“We continue to experience unprecedented growth within the marketing automation industry because we deliver the experience that marketers really need, without any pricing or packaging gimmicks,” said Raghu Raghavan, Founder and CEO of Act-On Software. “Our adoption rates continue to validate the incredible demand within the Fortune 5 Million for our solution. We have grown adept at servicing the needs of agile marketing teams, and their growing and evolving needs are fully baked into our DNA. This is only the beginning of this market’s rapid evolution, and we expect to be a leader for years to come.”


text:
- Birds Eye is making a number of changes to the packaging of its vegetable range, starting with its Natural Vegetable lines
- The move forms part of Birds Eye and Nomad Foods’, pledge to make 100% of its consumer packaging recyclable by the end of 2022
- The packaging revamp comes at a time when the frozen vegetable category is currently worth £455m.
Birds Eye, the branded leader in the frozen vegetable category , is taking a step closer to achieving its sustainability targets by moving to recyclable packaging on its Natural Vegetable products. As part of a phased approach across December 2020 and the start of 2021, the update will remove 379 tonnes of plastic and will be the start towards ensuring all of the brand’s vegetable lines will have recyclable packaging.
Jess Ali, Senior Marketing Manager Vegetables at Birds Eye, said: “Shoppers are increasingly looking for brands that are making a positive difference on issues they care about, and we’re committed to ensuring all of our vegetable lines will have recyclable packaging by the end of 2022. The new packaging across our Natural Vegetable and Peas portfolio will make a significant difference to our sustainability commitment by removing approximately 379 Tonnes of non-recyclable material from the market annually.
“This is the culmination of a thoroughly thought-out process, balancing our sustainability targets while retaining the elements that shoppers look for in our products. We know consumers want to see a reduction in plastic used by brands, yet also value the practical, resealable functions of our bags. We’ve therefore made a deliberate effort to find a more sustainable solution, adopting a press-to-close function, which will help shoppers to keep their freezers tidy while reducing the amount of plastic we use across the range.”
The update will see new recyclable materials and components replace the existing packaging used, across all Natural Veg products whilst also reducing excess packaging by reducing the size of the bags but keeping the same amount of vegetables. The recyclable packaging will launch into stores from mid-December, across the following lines:
- Field Fresh Supersweet Sweetcorn
- Field Fresh Garden Peas & Sweetcorn
- Field Fresh Select Mixed Vegetables
- Field Fresh Country Mixed Vegetables
- Birds Eye Garden Peas (2021)
- Birds Eye Petis Pois (2021)
 Nielsen Scantrack 52weks WE 31.10.20 – Market Share 26.1%


text:
This week the world has witnessed the career resurgence of parodist Weird Al Yankovic. It all started on Monday when he kicked off his #8videos8days campaign by releasing a video for his Pharrell Williams “Happy” parody “Tacky.” The campaign, which has also given us parodies to Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and Lorde’s “Royals” so far, is designed to draw attention to Weird Al Yankovic’s fourteenth studio album release Mandatory Fun, which hit stores and iTunes on Tuesday.
While it is fun to watch Weird Al catch on with a new generation of listeners, it is something that he has done in the past. He first gained significant notoriety in the 1980s with parodies of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” (his version was”Eat It”) and “Bad” (his version was “Fat”). In the nineties he...
Also read: Eric Clapton says he’s going deaf


text:
SINGAPORE AIRLINES ORDERS B747-400 FREIGHTERS
Singapore Airlines, one of Asia’s largest air cargo carriers, has placed a firm order worth $1.3 billion for six B747-400 freighter aircraft from Boeing Co.
The new order also includes an option for nine additional planes, either passenger or freighter models. The six new B747-400 freighters, which SIA calls Mega Arks, are due for delivery between 2002 and 2005.
“The additional freighters, which represent a capacity increase of about 10 percent annually, will help SIA Cargo cater to market development and growth. It will also further strengthen Singapore’s position as a major international cargo hub in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Michael Tan, SIA’s executive vice president-commercial.
SIA operates nine Mega Ark freighters, with maximum payload of 123 metric tons and room for 30 pallets on the main deck. Including the new order, SIA has eight more freighters due for delivery from Boeing in the next five years.
In its 2000 fiscal year, SIA carried more than 900,000 metric tons of freight and made $1.1 billion in cargo sales, an 18.9 percent year-over-year increase.
Future of Supply Chain
JUNE 21-22, 2023 • CLEVELAND, OH • IN-PERSON EVENT
The greatest minds in the transportation, logistics and supply chain industries will share insights, predict future trends and showcase emerging technology the FreightWaves way–with engaging discussions, rapid-fire demos, interactive sponsor kiosks and more.


text:
The UK Gambling Commission announced that Metro Play Limited is being “compulsorily wound up” following a court order.
Metro Play Ltd, the company behind the UK-facing 666Bet and Metro Play online gambling sites, is being liquidated after its operating licence lapsed.
“They are no longer licensed to provide facilities for gambling in Great Britain,” the commission said on its website.
“The Commission does not know whether this development will have any impact on the payment of outstanding balances to customers.”
The company had its licenses suspended in March after 666Bet director Paul Bell was arrested as part of a £21 million ($32.5 million) money laundering and VAT fraud investigation.
A spokesperson for the owner of Metro Play said last month that funds will be made available to pay customers who have requested withdrawals, subject to such claims being satisfactorily validated by the company.


text:
DESPITE the boom in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) industry in recent years, listed technology firm DFNN, Inc. is holding off on investments in the sector in the near term.
DFNN President and Chief Executive Officer Calvin Lim said last week the company is instead focusing on capacity building for online gaming and finding new revenue streams this year.
“POGO can be something… But in the near future, POGO seems to be really far away from us,” Mr. Lim told reporters in a media gathering.
“We are a listed company, so we have to abide by not just the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) rulings but the PSE (Philippine Stock Exchange) and a lot of other compliances as well.”
DFNN’s business is largely driven by the gaming industry at present, as it is where it pools about 80% of its revenues. The remainder is from non-gaming businesses, comprised mostly of financial technology (fintech).
Mr. Lim said DFNN currently does not have a POGO license, but its subsidiary Nico Bayan, Inc. signed a joint venture agreement with US-based lottery ticket reseller AutoLotto, Inc. to tap the opportunity.
Under the agreement, DFNN will provide live streaming services for AutoLotto’s POGO service provider Lottery.com. But Mr. Lim said this partnership is “still far from when we are going to launch,” as the parties are still fine-tuning the terms and conditions for the operations.
With this on hold, the growth of POGO for DFNN is seen to be delayed. He noted the government’s review of illegal activity among POGO operators and the Chinese government’s crackdown on POGOs are among the factors that dissuade DFNN as well.
What the company wants to focus on instead is research and development (R&D) for new ventures this year.
Mr. Lim said DFNN is exploring educational technology, which he describes as a trendy and long-term aspect of digitalizing education. He said it may start within the year and is expected to contribute significantly to DFNN’s revenues.
The company is also studying developing its fintech business further, as Mr. Lim said it is targeting to record a double-digit revenue growth from this segment for 2020.
DFNN is likewise investing in strengthening its core competencies in e-casino through the replacement of legacy systems, as it projects single-digit growth in this segment this year.
While Mr. Lim declined to disclose DFNN’s capex for 2020, he said the company is investing hundreds of thousands for R&D this year to improve the sustainability of the company.
DFNN booked a net income of P39.9 million in three quarters to September 2019, down 62% from a year ago as revenues slipped 2.7% to P957.9 million. Its shares at the stock exchange closed P3.66 apiece on Friday, down 43 centavos or 10.51%. — Denise A. Valdez


text:
Advocates of the “100,000 Opportunities Initiative”, realize how difficult it is for the disadvantaged, and unrepresented to succeed in achieving the American dream. Companies like Starbucks and Taco Bell are joining the initiative and pledging to create hope for those less fortunate. The mission is to open stores in underdeveloped areas, hire local residents ages 16 to 24 years old, and teach them that hard work is the key to a brighter future.
Starbucks announced that they will be opening stores in 15, communities across the U.S. that have historically struggled financially. The five stores expected to open in 2016 are in Ferguson, Missouri, Chicago’s south side, Jamaica neighborhood in Queens, New York, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starbucks has promised that they will do this the right way by having an on-site training space at each location where those hired will be taught customer service and retail skills, just like any other Starbucks employee.
This widespread commitment to equal opportunity has created pathways to employment for hundreds of young people, and continues to give hope to people even when the odds are stacked against them.


text:
One subscription for everything – according to this motto, Apple supposedly wants to boost its services business from autumn. Because according to information from Bloomberg, the company is planning a new bundle subscription that will combine several Apple services. The new offer is currently called Apple One internally, according to the report. Whereby “a subscription” is not entirely correct, because supposedly there should be several price levels.
Apple One with several price levels
The cheapest bundle should therefore only include Apple Music and Apple TV +. The next price level also includes Apple Arcade, and those who pay a little more also get Apple News +. And the most expensive subscription should also include an iCloud storage plan. At least that’s the current plans, reports Bloomberg. The bundles should clearly be cheaper than the individual price of the subscription, the monthly savings should be 2 to 5 dollars.
Virtual fitness classes
Apple One is said to be available from October together with the new iPhone models. In the most expensive price range of the bundle, Apple is also to offer a new service for virtual fitness courses, which will be available on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. This offer is code-named “Seymour” and is said to be based on similar services from companies such as Nike.
Subscription (miss) successes
Last year Apple significantly expanded its range of services. Apple News +, Apple TV + and Apple Arcade have been added to existing services such as Apple Music or iCloud. Recently, however, there have been doubts about how successful these new services are. Without a doubt, Apple would like to use the bundles to encourage more customers to take out subscriptions. A monthly saving of 2 to a maximum of 5 dollars sounds like a modest argument for those who hesitate.


text:
During her own IRL stream on 23 June Amouranth was successfully streaming from the shop despite being questioned by a staff member. She simply lied to the staff worker in order to prolong her stream by suggesting she was “video chatting” and continued to browse the store’s stock.
According to Twitch’s community guidelines, it is prohibited to share content on private property, without permission, meaning IRL streamers have to be extremely careful when livestreaming in stores.
“Are you videotaping in here?” asked the store worker, to which Amouranth responded: “We’re just video chatting, is that not okay?” The streamer was then given the all clear to carry on.
Amouranth had earlier been banned for filming without permission in a public place after serving a 12-hour suspension for streaming in a gym last year, where she was caught impersonating Shia LaBeouf’s famous "just do it" meme behind an unaware stranger.
However, it is unknown whether she will face another ban as a result of her failure to disclose that she was streaming. Many users suggested that Twitch might be unfair with regard to carrying out IRL bans.
"Lying about streaming is directly prohibited in the ToS, but just like last time she straight up lied, nothing will happen", said one of the commentators.
I wonder if shes gonna be banned cause privacy is ptivacy bathroom or not Amouranth under fire for breaking Twitch rules during IRL stream https://t.co/DwZFZmQZEo— SopaDeMarca (@OffBrandSoupTTV) 24 июня 2019 г.
Definitely seems like some unfair things going on with Twitch regarding bans from one person to the next. Totally uncalled for in a gym.— TheDetailer (@TDetailer) 24 июня 2019 г.
Amouranth under fire for breaking Twitch rules during IRL stream https://t.co/wVAu2rEJkR
Earlier during the E3 game conference, streamer Dr Disrespect was banned for breaking the community guidelines because he was streaming from a public bathroom, breaking the clause that forbids the creation or uploading of content that's "invasive of privacy or publicity rights".


text:
Not all are celebrating the idea of a longer Fiesta
August 2, 2013
While Fiesta fans are thrilled at the news that next year's celebration may almost double in length, many local businesses, restaurants, arts organizations and residents cast a wary eye at the idea of 18 days of revelry.
To continue reading this story, you will need to be a digital subscriber to ExpressNews.com.
Check offers for digital and print.


text:
Ouya, the company behind the Ouya Android-based microconsole, is now accepting payments using Bitcoin, according to a tweet from the company's official account.
The tweet includes a picture of a checkout page on Ouya's website with an Ouya console and controller in the cart. At the bottom of the screenshot, the Bitcoin payment option is clearly visible.
Bitcoin is an open source, peer-to-peer electronic currency network that utilizes cryptography to complete and secure monetary transactions. Bitcoins are tied to generated addresses that can be stores on users' hardware, in online services or as printed paper notices.
For a detailed look at how Bitcoins work and the digital currency's origin, read Polygon's feature about our hunt to find the man who created it.
Update: Ouya confirmed in a tweet that Bitcoin can only be used to pay for consoles at this time. The Ouya console store currently does not accept payment with Bitcoins for paid games.


text:
Diamond Exchange Current Affairs, GK & News
The Plenary meeting of Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is to be hosted by India between November 18, 2019 and November 22, 2019. The event is hosted by Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The meeting is held annually to make sure that the trade of diamonds is conflict free. Highlights of the meeting During the ..
Category: Important Days & Events Current Affairs
Singapore Diamond Investment Exchange’ (SDiX) the first ever diamond exchange is all set to function from September 2015. Till now diamonds were traded on mutual basis where the retailers or jewellers used to buy diamonds from the polishers and consumers were supposed to buy it from the retailer. Now under the SDiX customers can physically ..
Month: Current Affairs - July, 2015


text:
GoPro to release fix for Karma drones this week.
08 Jan 2020 8:01 AM
GoPro app update unlocks new features and tools for photo and video editing.
31 Jul 2019 8:02 PM
To give adventure junkies like you the perfect trekking experience, here’s a list of gadgets that will make your trip memorable.
26 Jul 2019 11:51 AM
GoPro shares rose 2 per cent in after-hours trading, paring gains from an initial 10 per cent jump.
07 Feb 2019 9:55 AM
GoPro is inviting HERO7 Black owners to shoot this year’s HERO7 Black highlight video for their cut of $1,000,000.
21 Sep 2018 9:00 PM
GoPro’s new low-priced models of its flagship Hero camera follow a $200 model launched in March.
03 Aug 2018 9:22 AM
The GoPro Fusion is a 360-degree camera that can shoot videos in 5.2K resolution and is also water resistant.
06 May 2018 9:49 AM
New sharing feature now lets users move their content straight to Instagram from the GoPro app.
04 May 2018 12:31 AM
An action camera for the budget conscious, without compromising on features.
01 May 2018 4:15 PM
The HERO camera supports full HD recording at 60fps with a resolution of 1440p.
29 Mar 2018 8:49 PM
The company has been undergoing a rough patch as it recently cancelled the Karma drone and also lay off many of its employees.
03 Feb 2018 4:51 PM
GoPro has slashed the price of its lasts years Hero5 cameras dubbed as Hero5 Black and Hero5 Session.
13 Dec 2017 7:54 PM
The Hero 6 is more of an incremental upgrade, but with a new GP1 chip, aiding 4K videos at 60fps.
18 Nov 2017 9:54 PM
Any customer buying a GoPro HERO6 at Reliance Digital will be issued a GoPro passport and receive offers from WCH as well as GoPro.
01 Nov 2017 8:32 PM
The action camera also allows you to take time-lapse photos and videos and also provide an option to upload them instantly to social media
30 Oct 2017 7:06 PM
Devoting equal time to surfing and surf photography, he has now gained 12 years of experience in both.
29 Oct 2017 6:11 AM
Google Clips will be the first standalone camera from the search company, which has expanded its hardware business over the last year.
05 Oct 2017 9:54 AM
The HERO6 offers 4K60 and 1080p 240 video and the most advanced video stabilization ever achieved in a GoPro.
29 Sep 2017 10:46 AM
The GoPro app makes your smartphone an extension of your GoPro camera, despite tagging along some bugs.
12 Aug 2017 3:14 PM
QuikStories is now available for HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session users. The app is available for download on the App Store or Google Play.
28 Jul 2017 4:35 PM


text:
- US premium rises for sixth consecutive week, though the upswing has slowed
- Premiums in Europe steady to higher after record delivery stokes bullish sentiment
- Asian premiums stable ahead of holidays
Upswing in US Midwest premium slows
The US Midwest aluminium premium
has risen for the sixth week in a row to reach 13-13.5 cents per lb on Tuesday February 13, up from 12.75-13.25 cents per lb a week ago, with the upswing appearing to slow in line with spot demand from buyers.
“It does seem like there is very little [primary aluminium] transacting spot, but what little there is seems to be around 13 cents per lb,” according to one supplier, who confirmed to American Metal Market that he had not done any transactions at that level.
Other market participants indicated that they have not seen a lot of interest from spot buyers for P1020 over the...


text:
‘Long Tail’ version of 720S is expected to come next year, as indicated previously by McLaren boss
Although this test mule looks at first to be a standard 720S with some modifications, tell-tale cues including ‘gurney’ flaps and a substantially larger front splitter. Although the traditional Long Tail extended rear end – found on models such as the current 600LT – doesn’t feature in this early mule, the extended spoiler plastered in tape suggests engineers are testing for such bodywork modifications prior to completing them.
McLaren is yet to confirm whether or not it’ll use the 750LT name for the Long Tail model, but earlier this year CEO Mike Flewitt told Autocar that the power gain from S to LT will be “at least” as much as that which turned the 570S into the 600LT. As such, a 740bhp (750PS) figure is expected.
However, he also stated that engineers have been struggling to shed the 100kg now expected of LT models “because we made the 720S as light as we could in the first place”. It’s expected McLaren will still be capable of removing a meaningful amount of weight, however.
The Woking firm is also battling to find an aesthetically pleasing way to incorporate the top-exit exhausts seen on the 600LT into the 720S’s body – something this prototype doesn’t have. That suggests a decision is yet to be made.
A production limit has yet to be decided for the model, which could arrive in the middle of next year. “Part of me wants to keep it open as Porsche does with its GT models,” said Flewitt, “but we maight limit it to something like 750 of each [coupé and Spider].”


text:
News By Tag
News By Location
FreeWeightLossShakes.Com Offers Free Weight Loss Shakes
Everyone loves FREE stuff, and just in time for problematic holiday weight gain and New Year’s resolutions, FreeWeightLossShakes.Com offers totally free weight loss shake samples.
Sometimes, say experts, winning consumers to a product means letting them try it before they buy it. Sometimes, a brand has to lead by a sample.
“Product samples are a way of creating excitement,”
Indeed, sampling continues to rank among the most effective tactics in the history of direct marketing, in part because of its ability to do what no other medium can: put a physical product in customers’ hands. Moreover, the practice is finding new adherents even in the digital age.
FreeWeightLossShakes.Com is doing exactly that with the site and several social media campaigns which has made the site a virtual overnight success. “The message of free deals, coupons, savings or getting something for free is an enormous value adds Brent.
FreeWeightLossShakes.Com currently offers 2 free weight loss samples, and is looking to add more over the coming months. We have partnered with two of the top weight loss companies in North America, said Brent.
Due to tremendous growth and traffic, sometimes there is a bit of a delay in responding to the number of requests, but said the samples generally ship out within 7 days!
For more information, visit http://FreeWeightLossShakes.Com


text:
Eighty-seven (87) percent of consumers read and rely on online recommendations when choosing a local business or professional service – up from 81 percent a year ago.
Half of them say they wouldn’t use a business that gets less than four stars.
Those findings are from the latest Local Consumer Review Survey, which investigates how consumers use online reviews to choose, trust, and understand businesses that offer services in their geographic area.
“Reviews can be an incredibly useful tool for attracting new customers, not only through the psychological effect they have on the reader, but by boosting local rankings so that businesses are more likely to show up for searching consumers,” according to marketing firm BrightLocal, which has been conducting the Local Consumer Review Survey since 2010. “Of course, 2020 was a year like no other. On top of the usual statistics exploring star ratings, the number of reviews, and how local businesses are asking for reviews, we also asked consumers how Covid-19 impacted usage of online reviews and local businesses. This should give context to changing trends, as well as help readers understand how the ongoing effects of the pandemic may be impacting local businesses.”
Lawyers Mutual is on your side as you adjust to practicing law post-COVID. Our email newsletter “Practice Reimagined” offers timely tips, pointers and valuable links on wellness, work-life balance and quality of life – delivered straight to your in-box. Lawyers helping lawyers. It’s what we’ve been doing more than 40 years.
2020 Local Consumer Review Survey
Here are some highlights from this year’s report:
- 93 percent of consumers used the internet to find a local business in the last year; 34 percent searched at least once every day. Seventy-three (73) percent searched at least once a week.
- 87 percent of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2020, a jump from 81 percent last year. Only 67 percent read reviews back in 2010.
- Thirty-seven (37) percent searched for fewer local businesses online due to the pandemic. But 28 percent said they did more online searching because of COVID, in order to find out which businesses were open, which offered services like curbside delivery, and to see what health and safety measures were in place.
- 31 percent of consumers say they read more reviews in 2020 because of Covid-19, while 34 percent read fewer.
- While the overall number of consumers looking at local business reviews grew, there was a small dip in the number that said they were “always” looking.
- 67 percent of consumers say they wouldn’t use a business if reviews said it didn’t have Covid-19 health and safety measures in place.
- The industries in which consumers are most likely to have read reviews were restaurants, hotels, medical, automotive, and clothing stores.
- The most important review factors were star rating, legitimacy, recency, sentiment, and quantity.
- Only 48 percent of consumers would consider using a business with fewer than 4 stars.
- For the first time, people favored mobile devices over desktop when viewing reviews. Fifty-seven (57) percent looked at reviews on a PC or Mac, down from 66 percent the prior year. This is not necessarily indicative of a lasting trend. Consumers that have seen work closures may have spent less time on desktop computers this year, or those working from home may not be as inclined to log on to a big screen in the evenings or weekends.
- 73 percent of consumers only pay attention to reviews written in the last month.
- 72 percent of US consumers have written a review for a local business, up from 66 percent in 2019.
- Consumers are most likely to search Google My Business for local business reviews, but trust the Better Business Bureau the most. Other frequently searched review sites were Yelp and Facebook.
Have you checked out Lawyers Mutual Consulting & Services? Founded by Camille Stell, who also serves as president, LMCS is a subsidiary of Lawyers Mutual. Its mission is to help firms build a modern law practice. It does that by offering expert advice and assistance into law firm trends and best practices. Camille and LMCS helps lawyers and firms create strategic plans and succession plans. A popular speaker and writer, Camille loves to guide lawyers through succession planning and into Life after Law. Contact her today.


text:
Child group slams ‘schoolgirl’ advert
Ryanair’s ‘back to school’ promotion sparks new controversy
An anti-child-abuse group has attacked Ryanair for showing a woman wearing a schoolgirl’s outfit on its website next to the slogan: “Hottest back to school fares: book now!”
The model is holding school books and an apple rests near the blackboard on which the slogan is written. But Kidscape, an action group against bullying and child abuse, describes the use of a “sexy woman in children’s clothing” as being in “terrible taste”.
Michelle Elliott, director of Kidscape, said: “What is the matter with them? It is offensive and looks like it belongs on a soft-porn site.
“Is that what they are getting their new stewardesses to wear? I think it is a real turn-off to have a woman in children’s clothes with a come hither


text:
Competitors are eating into L.A. ports’ dominance
Early morning on April 19, the massive Maersk Edmonton moored at the nation’s biggest cargo terminal, in the Port of Los Angeles. At 8 a.m., around 200 workers, operating nine cranes, swarmed the 1,200-foot-long ship.
By week’s end, continuous shifts of workers had emptied the ship, which carries more than 13,000 container units when fully stocked, onto trucks headed to nearby warehouses or to trains headed across the country.
That seamless choreography is a point of pride for port leaders, who say they’ve moved past the dysfunction that plagued their business a year ago and are prepared to hold the line against ever more aggressive competitors.
March capped off the busiest first quarter ever for the Port of Los Angeles, and the biggest since 2007 for the neighboring Port of Long Beach. Imports at the two ports increased by 10% over the same period last year, as measured by loaded container units.
But ports in other parts of the country, from Houston to New York, have poured money into infrastructure projects to make their coastlines deeper and their terminals more efficient. Now they are slowly eating into the L.A. area’s dominance as a gateway to U.S. markets.
In the first three months of 2016, Los Angeles and Long Beach took in 37% of all imports to the country arriving in containers, down from 43% during the same period in 2007.
That shift could accelerate later this year, if an improved Panama Canal opens and siphons business from the West Coast.
“We have witnessed a precipitous drop in market share, based on some things we didn’t do well, and ports across the U.S. and Canada did to step up their service capabilities,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles.
New York, the third-largest port in the country, has gained steadily. So have smaller entry points in cities such as Savannah, Ga., Charleston, S.C., and Houston.
“These areas are hungrier. Places that are poor and want to get better are going to try to find a competitive advantage against a place that is richer,” said Joel Kotkin, a fellow at Chapman University who has researched the growth of Gulf Coast trade.
The L.A. ports became so congested last year that shipping lines and the companies paying them had to divert their cargo elsewhere.
As talks between dockworkers and shipping companies deadlocked in the fall of 2014, and terminals struggled to handle ever-bigger vessels, ships berthed elsewhere.
Even before the labor dispute peaked, the ports were moving to better coordinate ships, terminals operators, workers and truckers.
They helped make it easier for truckers to access the trailers needed to transport containers. They encouraged shipping companies to load their cargo in Asia methodically, so that dockworkers wouldn’t have to spend time separating goods destined for different retailers on the Los Angeles shores.
All the while, the ports invested in technology.
The TraPac terminal, staffed almost entirely by robots, opened in the L.A. port 17 months ago. Today its 28 red cargo-carrying machines hum along, in relative silence, moving containers onto a set of gleaming, self-driving vehicles.
A handful of people participate, often from behind computer screens — directing, say, an automated crane to lower containers onto trucks as they leave the port.
On April 7, the Port of Long Beach received the first ship at its own automated terminal, called Middle Harbor, which is expected to formally open for business later this year. When Middle Harbor is fully built out in 2020, it will be able to handle about half the traffic that moved through the entire port in 2015.
There is little the local ports can do, though, to stem the increased flow of goods to the Southeast.
That region is in the midst of a population boom — Florida, Texas and the coast of the Carolinas are the fastest-growing areas of the country, according to the U.S. Census.
It’s also undergoing a manufacturing renaissance. Factory investments include a $1-billion expansion at a BMW plant in South Carolina in 2014 and the opening of an Airbus production facility in Alabama last year.
The influx of cargo to southeast ports “is a function of servicing an industrial market and an expanding population base in the eastern part of the United States,” said Jock O’Connell, an international trade economist with Beacon Economics.
That doesn’t mean Los Angeles will lose its shipping-traffic title any time soon.
The area has natural advantages that won’t go away. It faces Asia, the source of nearly 70% of American imports that arrive by sea. Its port waters are deep enough, and bridges tall enough, to accommodate ever-growing ships.
The biggest ship that visits North America, the Benjamin Franklin, arrived in L.A. on Friday. Wider than a football field, it can carry twice the amount of cargo as the largest ships making those runs four years ago.
Tim Simpson, the head of marketing for Maersk in North America, said that his company will go wherever customers like General Motors, Wal-Mart and Target want to bring in goods. But even during periods of congestion, the company generally advises most companies not to change their supply chains.
The complexity of those arrangements became obvious during the 2014-15 L.A. slowdown. Maersk routed some of its massive ships through Vancouver, Canada — but so did its competitors. Soon enough, Vancouver became overwhelmed too.
Simpson says the “severe congestion that we saw last year has been a non-issue” at L.A. ports this year. He doesn’t see any broader threat to the region’s status as a powerhouse.
“I don’t know how anyone could predict a day when L.A. and Long Beach aren’t the main hub. So much of the supply chains of global shippers are built around using those ports,” Simpson said.
Seroka says the first-quarter boom shows that the ports have won back the trust of customers.
“I cannot attest that we gained every container back, but we have made a strong effort to gain a majority of that cargo back,” he said.
Romy Taormina is not convinced. Her Pacific Grove-based company, Psi Bands, used to send 100% of its Chinese-made wristbands, which are designed to ease nausea, on ships that went first to Southern California and then up to Oakland.
Now she pays five times the price of ocean shipping to fly the vast majority of the bands in from China.
“I have been gun-shy to send shipments through Southern California,” she says.
Taormina says she can’t afford to anger customers like Target or REI. “It’s more difficult for early stage companies to survive these types of major hiccups.”
Other considerations could shape the ports’ competitive position.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is reviewing a letter sent by the Pacific Maritime Assn., which represents port operators, to begin discussions about extending their current five-year contract, which ends in July 2019. If the two sides come to an early agreement, it would buy labor peace and boost shipper confidence. If they don’t work out an extension, it could portend more strife and disruption.
The PMA confirmed that it sent the letter but did not comment further. The union did not respond to a request for comment.
To the south, a newly expanded Panama Canal offers a different challenge.
In June, nearly two years later than promised, Panama officials plan to open wider, deeper and longer locks that can accommodate some of the largest ships coming to the U.S. That could entice those big ships to bypass Los Angeles and keep sailing to Southeast and East Coast ports.
Around 70% of the goods that land in L.A.-area ports do not stay in Southern California, said O’Connell, the trade economist. But estimates by cargo analysts suggest that only around 5% of those products would be diverted through the canal, because the trip from Shanghai directly to the East Coast is two weeks longer than the one from Asia to Los Angeles, O’Connell said.
In any case, L.A. and Long Beach will probably continue to be the destination for goods that need to get on store shelves quickly, like high-end sneakers, the latest electronics and perishable goods.
“The impact of the new set of locks at Panama will be marginal on L.A. and Long Beach,” said O’Connell, “as long as the West Coast ports operate at relative efficiency.”


text:
Earlier this year, developer Monolith Soft had started hiring new staff to help out with a possible Legend of Zelda project. Well, it’s been 9 months since then – and it looks like the studio still needs a little more help!
Did you know that Monolith Soft, the developers of the Xenoblade Chronicles series, are now around three times bigger than they were just 8 years ago? Thanks to some observant fans, you can now get a birds-eye view of the company’s growing workforce in summarized form!
On October 1, 1999, Monolith Soft, a development studio, was founded in Japan.
Earlier today, we reported that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 writer/artist Soraya Saga had retweeted the recent Nintendo Direct announcement – which points to a possible reveal by Monolith Soft. She’s no longer alone, however – as Xenoblade Chronicles series writer Yuichiro Takeda (竹田裕一郎) is also joining the hype cycle!
Today we have some interesting news about the wife of Monolith Soft President Tetsuya Takahashi.
It looks like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 developer Monolith Soft is looking to expand even more than before.
Yasuyuki Honne, a director and producer now working at Monolith Soft, shared a moment he had with late Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and Hobbonichi’s Shigesato Itoi.
On July 8, 2019, Monolith Soft, a second party developer for Nintendo, officially opened their Osaki studio in Tokyo, Japan.
Monolith Soft, the makers of the Xenoblade Chronicles series, have announced how much they have earned in the financial year of 2018.


text:
Backstage at Dive Into Mobile–Google’s Andy Rubin Talks Tablet, Music
Moments after he finished his chat with Kara and Walt on Monday, Google Vice President Andy Rubin sat down with Mobilized for an interview. Among the things he confirmed is that Honeycomb isn’t just the next generic version of Android. It’s a version of the operating system completely focused on adapting the heretofore phone-centered product to run on a tablet.
During his onstage talk, Rubin showed a prototype Motorola tablet running Honeycomb. Though the demo was brief, Rubin showed a few things, such as the fact that there are no hardware buttons on the Motorola tablet, meaning that there is no “right way” to hold it. He also showed a design metaphor with tabs that could show things side by side on a tablet, while displaying the information on successive screens on a phone.
“I think those are small things,” Rubin said, suggesting that the company wouldn’t have done a separate version of Android if it didn’t also have some big things in store for Honeycomb.
Rubin didn’t offer much in the way of specifics on what those big things would be, however.
“I did the sneak peek,” he said. “I don’t want to go into great details about the product. There will be a big event.”
One of the few technical details he did mention was that the Motorola tablet was using a dual-core Nvidia graphics chip.
Mobilized’s colleague Peter Kafka turned the talk to music and Google’s plans to build its own music service.
Rubin wouldn’t directly confirm any plans or details, but acknowledged that music is an area of interest, an experience that is key on a mobile device and one that he wants to see on Android. Earlier this year Google proposed an ambitious cloud-based locker/subscription service to the major labels, but that has yet to move forward.
What about starting with something simple, like the kind of download store that Apple already offers via iTunes?
“We could build that 10 times over,” Rubin said. It’s “not the right experience.”
He noted that his first date, at age 15, was to a record store. And that he still remembers the records under consideration as he and his date browsed the aisles.
“It was a very memorable time,” Rubin said. “I think music actually makes a connection that is pretty unique. I want to make sure we are building products that have an intimate connection.”


text:
One of the more compelling and exciting virtual reality (VR) titles to be announced this year is Oculus Rift exclusive Asgard’s Wrath From Sanzaru Games and Oculus Studios. Aiming for a big action-adventure experience with lots of bloody combat and giant boss battles to contend with, information has slowly been appearing since the videogame was first revealed just over a month ago. First, there were screenshots and this week there’s been more gameplay footage to enjoy, so VRFocus has compiled all the video footage released so far right here.
On a Quest
Oculus went all out for the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2019 this week, announcing the Oculus Rift S, as well as letting guests get some hands-on time with its latest videogames, including Asgard’s Wrath. It also just so happened to release a couple of new videos showcasing the most gameplay footage yet. The first is called ‘Questing’ and as the title rightly suggests this is the player out on their epic journey, giving you a chance to see the core of the title, exploring ancient ruins, collecting useful items, and having the odd fight without getting killed as a mortal.
And then there’s god mode. As your all-powerful alter ego who’s on the rather tall side – like any god – this next video is much more of a showpiece where players have to fight the legendary Kraken.
Blood, sweat and more blood
The following videos are shorter bite-sized pieces showcasing smaller fighting elements of Asgard’s Wrath. One thing is for sure, Sanzaru Games is holding back when it comes to the visceral quality of the combat, as it looks quite easy to remove an enemy’s head from their shoulders or carve them up like a Sunday roast.
So that’s your lot for now, as Sanzaru Games release further footage of Asgard’s Wrath VRFocus will be sure to keep you notified.
Source: Read Full Article


text:
Honda Amaze and Brio are undeniably good products, but how do you remind prospective buyers of that?
Honda recently launched a new top end variant of both cars, loading them with touchscreen Audio Video Navigation (AVN) system with contemporary connectivity features. The Japanese carmaker also announced that new CNG variant of Amaze will be launched soon (by end of the month).
Honda dealerships are already offering complete sport makeover with all genuine Honda accessories for Amaze, at Rs. 65,000 including painting, labour and such. So, the special edition may be priced more affordable than getting the body kit installed later, to present a really compelling deal.
Now why this could be important for the company is that Tata Zest is already hurting Honda Amaze’s sales, and it would only get worse if Tata introduces body kit for its compact sedan as they promised during the launch, sooner. Tata Zest with expected sport kit was showcased at 2014 Delhi Auto Expo. Of course Tata Motors did not reveal plans to launch a new variant with athletic bodywork, their plans also involve selling them as accessories, but what if they do?


text:
The COVID-19 pandemic has sent travelers looking for safe, comfortable settings in which to connect with family and friends, creating economic opportunity for others to earn needed extra income by listing their homes on Airbnb. We are gratified to be able to announce that new hosts with only one listing who have welcomed their first guests after the start of the pandemic have already earned more than $1 billion.
If you’re considering hosting, now is the time. As our recent consumer polling tells us, there is pent-up demand for travel as people yearn to get out of the house and connect after months of pandemic-caused isolation, and the type of meaningful travel enabled by Airbnb is the kind of travel people will continue to seek even after the pandemic ends.
Airbnb listings are better equipped to handle group travel than hotels, and visiting with family and friends is the type of travel people have missed the most. Connecting with family and friends is also the type of travel that has grown most in importance as people look to travel after the pandemic: 41 percent of Americans say that such travel has become “much more” important to them.
Airbnb is also committed to preserving the safety of our hosts as well as our guests. In addition to our Enhanced Cleaning Protocol, we recently announced the development of Airbnb’s Health Safety Attestation, a voluntary tool that allows hosts to request that guests attest to being clear of common COVID-19 symptoms and have not knowingly been recently exposed to COVID-19, helping to empower hosts with information about health and safety that may matter for their preferences and needs.
Airbnb hosts who began hosting during the pandemic have benefited from consumers’ shifting travel preferences. In 2021, we believe this opportunity will only grow for those considering hosting on Airbnb.
Click here to read the entire report.
Founded in 2008, Airbnb exists to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere, providing healthy travel that is local, authentic, diverse, inclusive and sustainable. Airbnb uniquely leverages technology to economically empower millions of people around the world to unlock and monetize their spaces, passions and talents to become hospitality entrepreneurs. Airbnb’s accommodation marketplace provides access to 6+ million unique places to stay in more than 81,000 cities and 191 countries. With Experiences, Airbnb offers unprecedented access to local communities and interests through 25,000+ unique, handcrafted activities run by hosts across 1,000+ markets around the world. Airbnb’s people-to-people platform benefits all its stakeholders, including hosts, guests, employees and the communities in which it operates.


text:
The Stand Juice Co. opens shop in Westport
Published 5:37 am, Monday, September 21, 2015
The Stand Juice Co., which features plant-based drinks and other healthful foods, has opened a third outlet with a store in Westport.
The local shop, at 1200 Post Road East, is in addition to stores in Fairfield and Norwalk.
The Stand Juice Co. was established a decade ago by Carissa and Mike Hvizdo, with a focus on “providing good food and a better earth using the land to do so,” according to a press release from the business.
The Stand Juice Co. first became known for their juice cleanses, based on a relatively new method of detoxification, according to the press release. More menu items were added later, including snacks, sandwiches and baked goods.
The menu includes offerings such as gluten-free baked goods, seasonal hummus with veggies, nuts and olives, a variety of soups, zucchini sesame noodles with fresh herbs, roasted chickpea roll-up with fresh ginger, local maple syrup, and salad made with romaine, toasted pumpkin seeds and cauliflower croutons with a Caesar-like dressing.
Produce and other ingredients are sourced locally, including Hideaway Farm, the couple’s own 15-acre farm on the banks of the Connecticut River.


text:
The sci-fi inspired Cybertruck has a range of up to 500 miles and will go into production in 2021
Tesla CEO Elon Musk yesterday unveiled the firm's first electric pick-up truck, a bulletproof tank-style vehicle that Tesla hopes will boost its appeal among America's pick-up drivers. Pick-up trucks...
'No issue ranks higher than climate change': BlackRock CEO presses firms to pursue net zero emissions
Larry Fink, CEO of world's largest asset manager, urges firms to publicly disclose credible strategies for achieving net zero by 2050
The UK may be enduring an unbearably bleak winter, but the UK solar industry at least the future looks positive
US planemaker says development of engines able to run solely on sustainable aviation fuels could deliver significant emissions savings
Environment Minister Pow argues delay to landmark legislation does not diminish government’s environmental ambition, but green groups have panned the move, claiming it is at odds with Ministers repeated promises to deliver a 'green Brexit’